As "Isu" gets yet another Priest

Rev.Fr. Mathew Kalu ordained on 23rd July,2016

The Priestly ordination of Reverend Father Mathew Kalu , on Saturday at the Mater Dei Catholic Cathedral, Umuahia, Abia State, is seen as yet an addition to the soaring popularity,relevance and achievement of Isu, considered both the most remote and tiniest community in Abia State, South East Nigeria.

Rev. Sister Ugochi Okoro ( 1st Rev. sister from Isu)

This historic ordination comes about 13 years, after that of Reverend Father Anthony Okore, the first from the community, fondly called Isu Okeke.

Fr. Anthony happy to welcome his brother priest  Fr. Mathew

More goodies are also in the pipeline for the community, as another, Brother Osinakachi Kalu Akuma is already a Senior Seminary and everything being equal will be the 3rd Catholic Priest from Isu.

 Osinakachi

Outside the Catholic Church, Isu has previously celebrated the ordinations of their sons and daughters as Reverends, Pastors and Evangelists, in different churches including Presbyterian Church, Assemblies of God Church, Deeper Life Bible Church, etc.

But achievement in religion is only one aspect.

In recent times, a lot more good news have emanated from Isu. 

Isu has produced Medical Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Great Teachers, Geologists and just any professional one can think of, even as many are in Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Educations, both in Nigeria and abroad.

A quick reflection, one finds Isu just nowhere some years back.

The greatest Icon from the place was the late Chief T.C Okorie ,Isu's greatest King who passed on in the 1980s, leaving behind very educated children and an olden mansion.

Analysts say, "the people have tried to imitate others; and they are really learning fast, progressing at a fast pace".

But there are still a lot to talk about Isu, beyond its human resource.

 When compared with other communities, Isu is by far the tiniest, comprising just 7 independent villages namely Amakarama, Amaukabi, Amachi, Aba, Iheosu, Obomime and Obieze.

But in this tiny place, abound rich deposits of natural resources, so huge that cannot be found in any other town of the same size in Abia State, and even most places elsewhere in Nigeria.

Limestone Caves as this are common sights in Isu

Rainforest with beautiful scenes are many in parts of Isu

For instance, Isu has a vast deposit of Limestone.

 It is not only huge but also known to be the highest grade that can be found anywhere in the World.

There is also the notion that with geophysical survey carried out in Isu, there could be crude oil deposit, as substances suspected to be oil have been seen floating in some parts of Amachi Isu and environs.

Isu’s huge mangrove and Fresh Water forests which can provide unquantifiable woods for furniture, leaves for medicinal purposes and paper production, and also habitats for a wide range of endemic wild species of fauna and flora that cannot be found in many other parts of the country, are greatly untapped.

 Isu also has a reputation for having rare fishing festivals.

Three massive lakes with huge deposit of various fish species, offer annual fish hunt in an elaborate tradition of fishing expedition.

On the D-day, people of the area in different parts of the country come home, and all proceed to the lake for fishing.

On performance of the ceremonial "start Whistle", the people who had lined up on the bank of the lake, all jump into the water; and in stylish pattern, they hunt for fishes from one end of the lake  to the other, sometimes chanting war songs in the process.

The lakes are known in local parlance as Okpa Ukwu, Okpa Nta and the other near Iheosu Isu.

With the presence of the government and relevant private stakeholders, the fishing festival which is said to have no comparism in Nigeria, can earn the country huge revenue in tourism.

But accessibility to this important Nigerian town is a whole lot of hard-work , because of bad road.

A section of the road linking Isu

The Bende Arochukwu road that also leads to Isu and linking it with Cross River State , remains feather for over 5 decades, making it both non-motorable during rainy season and a death trap.

One hopes that government swiftly come to Isu and find ways of properly harnessing the huge economic potential there to enhance the living standard of the people and boost the nation’s economy.